Air Pollution Kills Millions Each Year. Here’s How Cities Can Fight It.

When a city’s air is dirty, it threatens residents’ health and economic security. This problem is worsening across the globe, and air quality experts say cities owe it to their people to take action.

Some of the most polluted urban areas ― including Los Angeles and Beijing ― recognize these dangers and have taken steps to purge their skies of pollution. Though their problems are far from solved, their multipronged strategies can serve as a model for other cities.

“Most cities would have healthier populations if their air was cleaner,” said Suzanne Paulson, a professor and director of the Center for Clean Air at UCLA.